"Every scripture is God's breath…" (2 Tim 3:16–17).

A Brief Defense for the Cosmological Argument

This post can serve as a brief presentation of the cosmological argument for the cause of the universe. While reading over some WordPress posts about apologetics, I am often find some peculiar rejections of academic arguments for theism. In this case, the author of De Intellectus addressed the cause of the universe to some vague conclusion. The cosmological argument is that everything that begins has a cause, the universe began, and thus the universe has a cause. The author redefines “everything that begins” in the cosmological argument to mean everything including a presumption of God creating His own dwelling.

This atheistic writer also struggled with God having created the universe out of non-being, ex nihilo. The biblical account is that

God created the heavens and the earth from nonexistence (Gen 1:1; Rom 4:17). From what did God create the universe? Did God use preexisting matter or any natural energy? If God created from preexisting material, this infers the preexistence of the universe and that God did not create the heavens and the earth. Not only did God create ex nihilo, God created ex verbo Dei meaning that God created from out of God’s Word (Ps 33:6; Heb 11:3).

Here is the original article: “Problems with the Cosmological Argument.” I do not expect that the author will keep my comment posted. The name of the author is vague as I have come to expect from critics. However, I saw the name “R. A. Denke,” so that is who I addressed. He made the “theory of everything” exclusive of “everything that began.” This is my plea:

Denke,

“Everything” does not include God’s existence or whatever you mean by God’s abode. The argument is for causality of “everything that begins.” Note with emphasis “begins.” Every effect must have a sufficient greater cause. This is the law of causality. The argument is not for everything but “everything that begins.”

You presume a spacial abode of God as “heaven” to have a beginning because it includes “everything.” You reason that because God has an abode, then that abode is included in everything and thus must begin. Is that not what you are arguing? Why not include God too if you are to change the premises to include “everything that begins and may not begin.” You also appear to argue for preexisting supernatural “space.” You presume you have knowledge that God’s dwelling of heaven began at the creation of the universe. That is a peculiar theology. Biblical theism perceives that the heavenly existence of God is before the creation of the heavens of the universe and the expanse. Ancient Jewish and Israelite beliefs have no indication of changing this concept.

Ex nihilo does not mean creation made from nothing, but creation by God when there was no preexisting matter. Ex nihilo is somewhat of a misnomer, yet exposes anyone’s prima facie argument. Biblical theism includes ex verbo Dei, “from the Word of God.” There is no preexisting (natural) matter and energy for which God created the universe in any part of the Creation account. To infer that someone may have thought this is contrary to ancient Judaism that upholds ex nihilo.

You are wasting time in your life with worshiping a false idol if you are arguing against arguments that you do not comprehend.

Whatever begins has a cause. Agreed? The universe began. Agreed? Therefore, the universe has a transcendent supernatural cause.

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Published by Scott J Shifferd

Scott J Shifferd believes in sharing the gospel of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection so that the faithful will bodily resurrect to eternal life like Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15). Scott is an evangelist at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL. He has a BA and MA in Biblical Studies. He is a husband and a father of four children. Anyone can contact Scott at ScottJon82[at]yahoo.com.
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2 thoughts on “A Brief Defense for the Cosmological Argument”

You concluded with, “Whatever begins has a cause. Agreed? The universe began. Agreed? Therefore, the universe has a transcendent supernatural cause.”
Although I agree with the concept, you have not reached a proven conclusion of the “transcendent supernatural cause”.
You still need to make your case for the “supernatural”

The universe is everything natural — consisting of matter and energy. Everything “before” the universe is implicitly transcendent and “beyond nature” meaning it is supernatural. I came to the same conclusion that I found W. L. Craig PhD did too.